Improvement in preserve-cans



E. W. GILMORE.

Fruit Can.-

Patented May 11. 1858 UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

EDYVIN W. GILMORE, OF NORTH EASTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 20,203, dated May 11,1858.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN W. GILMORE, of North Easton, in the county ofBristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement inPreserve-Cans; and I do hereby declare that the same is fully describedand represented in the following specification and the accompanyingdrawings, of which- Figure 1 denotes a top View of a preserveeanfurnished with my invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of it. Fig. 3is a side elevation. Figs. 4 and 5 are vertical and transverse sectionstaken in planes at right angles to each other.

My invention or improvement has relation to the application of mechanismfor confining the cover in place on the can.

In the drawings, A represents a can or vessel for preserving fruits orvegetables, such vessel being provided with a mouth, a a, on its upperend, to which a cap or cover, D, is applied, an annulus, b b, ofvulcanized indiarubber or other suitable equivalent being placed betweenthe cover and the top of the can. A bar-lever, B, is arranged across thecover and top of the can, and has its ends re spectively formed withjournals 0 c to extend through two stirrups or staples, G G, orequivalent devices, affixed to the can and made to project above it, asshown in the drawings. One of the journals is made longer than theother, and the distance between the two should be such as to enable theshorter journal to be detached from its stirrup when the bar-lever ismoved backward longitudinally a sufficient distance. This bar lever,formed with an arm, d, which serves not only as a stop to arrest thetransverse motion of the lever in one direction, but as a means ofenabling aperson to turn the lever in its stirrup, is furnished wlth acam or projection, 6, so arranged with respect to the arm d that whilethe latter is belng turned down from a vertical to a horizontal positionthe said cam shall force the cover D firmly down upon its seat or rubberannulus, so as to effect an air-tight sealing of the can. The cam 0extends lengthwise ofthe bar and nearly from journal to journal. It alsoserves to strengthen it as well as to perform its function of givingpressure on the accomplished by a spring on the cover, borne I down by alatch-bar and a catch.

I am also aware that a bottle-stopper has I been held in place 011 themouth of abottle by means of a swinging frame and a cam-lever, as shownin the patent numbered 13,266 of United States patents. Therefore I donot claim such, my invention being analogous thereto only in somerespects. In the first place, the cam e, by extending lengthwise of thebar and nearly from journal to journal, not only serves to perform thefunction of acam, but to greatly strengthen the bar. Furthermore, thecam e and the arm at are disposed at or about at a right angle tov eachother, or in such manner that when the cover is forced down upon itsseat the arm acts as a stop to prevent the cam from being moved out ofplace by any acci dental cause. therefore, is novel and productive ofimportant advantages. Therefore What I claim is The arrangement of thearm and the cam and the bar B, whereby the cam is not only made tooperate to aid in strengthening the bar when supported as described, butthearm is enabled to operate as a stop to maintain the cam in placewhile forcing down the cover, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my signature.

EDWIN w. GILMORE.

\Vitnesses:

JosErn BURROWS, GEORGE BURROWS.

, r I I The peculiar arrangement,

